Li Jiancheng's poisoned wine attempt: the undercurrent of power under the wall of brothers
In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, an undercurrent around the succession to the throne was finally presented to the world in an almost dramatic way. In the ninth year of Wude, the power struggle between the crown prince Li Jiancheng and the Qin king Li Shimin reached an unprecedented climax, and a well-planned but unexpected poisoned wine incident pushed this history to the forefront.
Brotherhood in the maelstrom of power
Since the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Li Jiancheng, as the eldest son, was naturally made the crown prince, bearing the heavy responsibility of inheriting the unification. However, his younger brother Li Shimin has made many miraculous achievements in many years of conquest, and his prestige has grown, not only winning the support of soldiers and the people, but also accumulating deep political capital in the DPRK. As time passed, Li Shimin's desire for the crown prince grew, and Li Jiancheng felt threatened like never before.
The rift between the two brothers gradually deepened, and two-for-tat power groups were formed above the court. Li Jiancheng formed an alliance with Li Yuanji, the king of Qi, to jointly fight against Li Shimin and his Tiance Mansion forces. In this power struggle, the two sides fought openly and secretly, and the means emerged one after another, and the poisoned alcohol incident was the most thrilling scene in this struggle.
Planning and implementation of poisoned alcohol incidents
On the fourth day of the fifth month, a seemingly ordinary day, there is a hidden murderous intention. In the name of brotherly reconciliation, Li Jiancheng invited Li Shimin to the East Palace for a banquet. Li Shimin knew well about this Hongmen banquet, but he had to go to the appointment so as not to fall into the truth. At the banquet, the atmosphere seemed to be harmonious, but in fact, there was an undercurrent. Li Yuanji frequently raised his glass, trying to ease the tense atmosphere, while Li Jiancheng was smiling, but his eyes revealed a ruthlessness that was difficult to hide.
Just as the banquet was at its climax, Li Jiancheng suddenly ordered someone to serve a special glass of wine, claiming that this was the wine he had personally brewed for Li Shimin, as a cousin. Li Shimin took the wine glass, although he had doubts in his heart, but for the sake of face, he still reluctantly drank it. However, shortly after he entered, he felt a sharp abdominal pain, followed by vomiting, blood staining his shirt and the ground. This scene stunned everyone present.
The mystery of vomiting several liters of blood and not dying
Faced with Li Shimin's sudden illness, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji also felt surprised and panicked. They originally thought that this cup of poisonous wine was enough to kill Li Shimin, but they didn't expect that he only vomited a few liters of blood and did not die. What kind of secret is hidden behind this?
First of all, from the point of view of the poison itself, most of the poisons in ancient times were biotoxins or plant extracts, and their purity and potency were far inferior to those of modern chemical poisons. Therefore, even if Li Jiancheng added poison to the wine, its dosage and purity may not be enough to ensure a one-hit kill. In addition, Li Shimin, as a battle-hardened general, must have had a certain understanding of poisons and poisons, and he may have been alert when drinking, thus reducing his intake of poisons.
Second, judging from Li Shimin's personal constitution and coping ability, he may have been prepared before drinking, such as taking certain antidote drugs or taking other preventive measures. At the same time, he immediately took emergency measures such as vomiting after feeling unwell, which further reduced the absorption of the poison. The combination of these factors made Li Shimin not die immediately, although he was deeply poisoned.
However, there is a more complex and deeper explanation: Li Jiancheng may not really want to poison Li Shimin. As the crown prince, he knew that once Li Shimin died in his own mansion, it would inevitably trigger a strong backlash from the Tiance Mansion and other forces in the DPRK and China, and might even trigger a coup d'état. Therefore, he may have just bluffed to test Li Shimin's reaction and the attitude of the DPRK and China. And Li Shimin relied on his wisdom and courage to successfully resolve this crisis.
The power game behind the event
Although the poisoned wine incident failed, it profoundly revealed the cruelty and ruthlessness of the court struggle in the early years of the Tang Dynasty. In this struggle, both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin showed their wisdom and means. Although Li Jiancheng was the crown prince, his performance in the political struggle was hesitant and indecisive; Li Shimin, on the other hand, gradually gained the upper hand by virtue of his outstanding military talents and deep political foundation.
After the poisoned wine incident, Li Shimin strengthened his determination to eradicate Li Jiancheng. He knew that the contradiction between himself and Li Jiancheng was irreconcilable, and only by completely removing this obstacle could he successfully ascend to the throne. As a result, he began to actively plan a coup d'état, and finally launched the Xuanwumen Rebellion in July of the same year. In this coup d'état, he personally killed Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, successfully seized the throne, and opened the rule of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty.
Reflections and Enlightenment of History
Looking back on this period of history, we can't help but sigh for the brotherhood between Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin. They were supposed to be brothers born from the same root, but because of the temptation of power, they turned against each other and saw each other. This struggle not only brought great shock and damage to the political stability of the Tang Dynasty, but also made countless innocent lives fall victim to the power struggle.
However, the wheel of history rolls forward and cannot be reversed. We can only draw lessons and lessons from this history. First of all, power is a double-edged sword, it can bring glory and status, but it can also lead to self-loss and destruction. Therefore, in the pursuit of power, we should remain sober-minded and determined